


Extra Bright Paladin

by amlago



Series: Bright Paladin [2]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Demons, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Sexual Content, Spirit Animals, Vampires, Were-Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-04-29 19:03:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5139086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amlago/pseuds/amlago
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Here are some extra scenes that didn't fit into the story, but were some ideas that I had while I wrote it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Exploding patrinus

Xander enjoys the books but finds them frustrating at the same time.

"I don't get it," he mutters while scowling at the book in his hands.

"What don't you get?" Jason asks and looks at the book to see what Xander is reading at the moment.

"It's just. Why pair up Harry with Ginny? Why not Hermione, or even Luna makes more sense. Not to mention all the sexual tension he has with Draco. Just lock them in a broom closet for an hour or so and they'll end up snogging. I just don't get it. And Dumbledore is just like one of those really bad watchers, thinking he's got all the answers but refusing to tell anybody. I mean who the hell thinks it’s a good idea to put a baby where you know it will be mistreated, the greater good my ass."

Xander glares at the book and puts it down. But then he breaks out in a big, slightly manic, smile that tells the were he just had an idea. Xander hurries out of the house and into the backyard where he snaps a twig from the willow tree there.

"I'm going to communicate with myself a while," he tells Jason as he goes by.

Jason is gleeful when he tells the other what Xander said, knowing that their alpha didn't mean it the way it sounded. Now they only have to wait until he's done with whatever idea he's had. Xander doesn't come out from his room until after sundown.

"OK, I think I got it," he tells the others that watches him curiously. Xander whips out the twig and waives it around. "Expecto patronum!"

Three things happen. The first is that the hyena explodes out from the twig. The second is that the twig explodes sending fragments all over the room. The third is that the power sends Xander flying, it's only Asher's fast reflex that saves him from a concussion.

"OK, that might not been the brightest idea I've had," Xander's mutters as he tries to clear his head. He turns so he can see the vampire. "So, do you think that you'll slitherin to my bed tonight?"

Jason can't hold back anymore and starts laughing.


	2. Hot and cold

Ever since they bonded Asher has been feeling warm. Xander's love is like the sun after a winter day. Even when they argue, and they do argue, the warmth is there. If possible it’s even warmer, like he can feel Xander's anger burning. Sometimes he almost surprised it doesn't show, that he isn't developing burns when they argue. But he's comforted by the warmth no matter how much it burns, it makes him feel alive.

Then, in one of their arguments he makes a gesture to make a point and somehow he hits Xander across the cheek. They both freezes, surprised, their anger forgotten. And suddenly he doesn't feel the heat anymore, it's colds, so cold that he thinks his bones have turned to ice. And before he can comprehend what's happening Xander leaves. Leaves without a word. For the first time in a very long time Asher feels lost. Suddenly he's reminded of the fact that Xander isn't original from this world, that the younger man actually can leave and go somewhere else and that it would mean that he would never see him again.

It aches and only the fact that he can dimly feel their connection keeps him from panic. He doesn't know what he would do if he lost Xander, especially if he lost him from a mistake. Asher knows that he would go insane and probably die a slow death, if he just didn't end it as quickly as he could. He hadn't meant to hit Xander, that had never been his intention. He knows about the younger man's childhood and had made a promise to himself to never hit the other in anger. Because he knows that if he did it would be the last thing he did. Xander would either leave him or kill him. The only reason he can still feel Xander is because Xander knows it was a mistake. That doesn't make it easier.

One week turns into two, and still Xander hasn't shown himself. His pack is worried and goes out looking for their alpha. But Xander doesn't want to be found. No money is withdrawn from the bank, a fact that makes them believe that he lives on the street. Not a comforting thought.

But then, after almost a month, Xander appears. Slimmer and wilder looking than before he suddenly is there at the club, like he never left. His pack immediately gathers around him, but doesn't touch him since they sense that he doesn't want that. They crowds him as close as they can, basking in the feeling of being close to their alpha again.

Asher hesitates, but goes over to the younger man. The minimal flinch that Xander does when he reaches out his hand breaks Asher's heart all over again.

"I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you," he says voice full of regret as he slowly gathers the human in a hug. "Please forgive me."

"I know you didn't mean to, that's the only reason I came back," Xander's voice is rough like he hasn't used it in a while. "I had to get away, the soldier would have killed you if I stayed."

"Where did you go?"

"Hunting, I went hunting."

Slowly, Xander relaxes. And while Nathaniel is the first one to latch on to Xander, the rest of them quickly follows when he's not rebuked. Standing in the group hug Asher starts feeling a slimmer of warmth come back. And for the first time in almost a month he's not cold. It's not as warm as it was before, but it's a start. He knows the warmth will come back, now that Xander is back again. Asher silently swears that he will never do anything to bring the cold back, and if he does he'll let Xander kill him instead of feeling the freezing feeling filling him, making him numb.


	3. Visitors

While Xander never would really like the so called gatherings they had when visiting dignitaries came, they were at least a little more fun when he didn't have to work at them. As a guest he could talk to the others and was quickly learning that some supernatural beings were very fond of gossiping. Sure he didn't always know the persons they were gossiping about, but if he ever met them he had some embarrassing stories to ask them about.

All in all the night was shaping up to end up a good one, which was the reason, everything went to hell. With all the different vampires around he didn't think anything would be different with the two walking towards him. He'd seen them earlier and heard one of them call the other Balthazar, but other than that he couldn't say anything about them. At least not until one of them grabbed him and proceed to kiss him.

Xander knows this feeling, the feeling of someone or something entering and taking over his body. It's not a feeling he's fond of, and one he'd hoped to never feel again. For one there's enough stuff inside his head as it is and for the other he's not certain he won't end up a gibbering mess. Xander can't handle this, not again.

The vampire collapses in a heap after the kiss, leaving Xander and the other vampire. This vampire is watching Xander with a hungry look, while Xander is standing hunched over catching his breath. When Xander straightens up the vampire goes from anticipating to confused. Because Xander isn't doing whatever he thinks he should be doing. Xander just takes a big breath and then he shudders and gives a large cough. Out comes the hyena with something in her mouth. Xander tilts his head and gives the thing a curious look.

"Well, well, what the fuck do we have here? Someone is a naughty boy, trying to take something that doesn't belong to him." He glances at the vampire on the floor before turning towards the standing one. "And you know what happens to those trying to take what doesn't belong to them. They get punished."

The vampire is looking at Xander in shock, he can't understand what's happening. But he feels fear when he looks at the ghostly hyena and its prey. The fear becomes more pronounced when four more hyenas appear, circling the first.

"Kill," Xander, or rather Alex says and watches in glee as the hyenas tears the thing apart.

"Noo!" The vampire lunges at the closest hyena, but goes through her. He turns and gives Xander a wild look. "Stop it!"

Alex just ignores him and instead uses one of his feet to nudge the vampire on the floor. When all he gets is a shiver he frowns.

"Pet," he calmly says and Nathaniel is at his side in moments. He can't help but to run a hand absently through the were’s hair. The feeling of pack is much stronger this time. "Pet, here's a present for you. I don't fucking care what you do with it. Keep it, kill it, break it, throw it away. I don't care. But unless you want me to disembowel it you better remove it from my sight."

Nathaniel bends down and easily lifts the traumatized vampire, holding it close. He takes a small step back before hesitating.

"Is Xander alright?"

"Xander is fine, he's taking a nap at the moment."

Nathaniel gives his alpha a small smile and nods before leaving. Two of the ghostly hyenas follow him out of the room.

He turns his eye towards the remaining vampire, ignoring all the other guests that are there, they're not important at the moment. The only threat there is the one in front of him. Not that he appears to be much of a threat at the moment.

"Give him back to me," the vampire demands.

When Alex just laughs the vampire grabs him around the throat and lifts him up. That doesn't stop the laughing, and now they're starting to gather a lot attention from the rest of the guest. Especially Asher, who's conflicted if he should help or not and who he should help in that case. At the moment Xander is probably the most dangerous being in the room.

"I wouldn't return him even if I could. A fucking mind rapist is better off dead," Alex manages to say before the hand on his throat cuts of the air.

Asher can tell that Alex would be laughing if he had enough air, which is the only reason he doesn't do anything to intervene. Somehow it's almost fascinating watching when Xander isn't Xander. Xander would never be able to suddenly hock his legs around the arm holding his throat and somehow bring down the vampire. Xander would have gone for the face or throat hoping for the best, Alex on the other hand takes down the vampire in seconds.

Alex kneels besides the vampire, who glares but is unable to move at the moment.

"I'll tear your throat out the moment I can," he hisses at the human.

"Ah threats." Alex thinks for a moment before smirking. "Now, I have an idea, let's see if it works or not." He pats the vampire on the cheek. "Don't worry, if it doesn't I'll let the hyenas have you."

Everybody in the room takes at least one step back when Alex raises his hands towards the ceiling. They can feel the power coiling around him, and soon they can also see it as it swirls around him.

"Goddess Hecate, work thy will. Before thee let the unclean thing crawl."

The power that surges through the room are astounding, and many of the less powerful vampires legs gives up and they end up on the floor. Alex points his finger at the vampire and smirks as he's turned into a rat. He quickly grabs it and gives it a shake to make it stop struggling.

"Pets," when the rest of the pack doesn't arrive immediately he stands and looks around the room for them. It doesn't take long before Jason manages to get close. "Here, a chewing toy for you to play with."

He shoves the rat at the were, who fumbles but manages to keep a hold of the small animal. Alex becomes aware of someone at his back and quickly turns around.

"Mate," he greets.

"Xa...Alex," Asher responds and inches closer, grateful that the other seems to trust him more than before. He casts a glance at the rat and the weres that more or less gleefully carries it away. "Let's go home."

Alex looks around, taking in the way most of the guests refuses to meet his eyes.

"Yes, let's. I believe we proved our worth. Fucking cowards," he mutters under his breath.

Asher makes a move to take his arm, but stops when Alex gives him a look. Instead he makes a small gesture for the other to precede him out of the room. Alex casts one last glance around the room before he nods and lets the other usher him out. He wishes he could communicate directly with Xander and tell him that he approves, but decides to tell the mate before he has to leave again. But first he needs to finish this.

Therefore he, or rather they, make their way to where Nathaniel is. Nathaniel has put the vampire in bed under a blanket and is hovering close by, uncertain whether he should try and do something more or not. Alex goes over to the bed and just looks down at the unconscious vampire. While using the sight, or whatever Xander calls it, isn't something he do often, he can use it. And he does this now, ignoring everything except the vampire on the bed. There appears to be something missing, a ragged hole, a wound left from the possession. Alex isn't certain if will heal or not, if the vampire will recover from what was done to him. He's also isn't certain why he should care, the vampire isn't someone he knows. But Xander would care, and do his best to help. Alex sigh, frustrated with the whole situation.

He makes a grabbing motion and takes hold of one of the ghostly hyenas. Alex then shoves the hyena into the vampire, filling the gaping hole. There, now he's done something to make it better.

\---

Xander is confused. The new vampire that suddenly is hanging around feels like pack, even though Xander doesn't even know the vampires name. The rest of the visiting vampires are keeping their distance from him and Jean Claude is once again giving him intrigued looks. What actually happened last night? The only thing he knows for certain is that Alex is feeling smug.

 


	4. Growing pains

While Xander didn't mind spending time with Valentina, mostly because he managed to introduce her to Disney, he didn't like the fact that she was in fact a child. Or perhaps not a child, but stuck in a child’s body. He has the same problem with spending much time with Bartolome, since he also was stuck in a child’s body. Finally he can't take it anymore, he must at least try to do something to help them. So, one night he gathers the two small vampires and drags them to an empty room. They come willingly, well at least curiously.

"So, let me first say that I don't know if this will work or not," he says as soon as the door is closed. "But I feel that I should at least try."

"Try what?" Valentina asks.

"Help you, you know with the age thing."

"And how are you going to do that?" Bartolome wonders suspicious.

"Well, I'm or rather we are going to summon a demon and see if he knows someone who can help you."

It says a lot that the two vampires don’t hesitates in agreeing with this. They have known Xander long enough to know that he wouldn't do anything to harm them, and they also have heard some tales about his kind of demons. Therefore it doesn't take long before Xander has drawn up a summoning circle and something flickers into view.

"Who dares summon D'Hoffryn? Oh, wait it's you. What can I do for you Xander?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could help me with something." He gestures to the two vampires. "Do you know someone who would be able to age them?"

The demon gazes at the vampires, deep in thought.

"I might. Wait here."

With a puff of smoke he's gone. It takes a while before something happens, but no one tries to leave the room. Xander gives the vampires a poke when they do that freaky thing and goes all still. He ignores the glare sent his way and instead convinces Valentina to let her have her hair braided while they wait. After about twenty minutes there's a crack and a blue female person appears. Her hair is purple and Xander thinks that she might have scales since her skin glimmers strangely.

"We are Wrek. We are told to come to this place by the low demon." She looks at them and Xander sees that her eyes swirl strangely. "What boon does the knight ask of us?"

"My lady, I was hoping you would be able to help these two," he indicates the two vampires.

"We cannot remove what was done to them," she says with regret.

"No, that's not what we're asking. I was hoping that you would be able to make them older."

"We are able to do this, but there is a price to be paid."

"Of course, nothing is free," Xander agrees.

"Nothing important is free."

"What's the price?" Bartolome asks.

"You will have to hunt down those who would hunt you down."

"Wait, are you talking about vampire hunters or peddos?"

"The second. Here," suddenly she has two knives and amulets in her hands. "You will hunt them down and use these blades on them, then smear some of their blood on the amulet. You cannot drink from them, but it doesn't matter how you kill them as long as you use the blade to get some blood. You will know when you have hunted down enough of them since the blade and amulet will disappear. You have one year to accomplish this."

"And how much older will this make us?" Valentina asks.

"We can grant you ten years. But be warned, it will be painful. Your bodies will change and grow ten years in one year," she smiles. "But we suspect that you're not afraid of some pain."

The two vampires hastily agree to this and accept the knives, letting the demon put the amulets around their necks. She holds up a hand to stop them from leaving.

"Knight, you are going to keep an eye on them while they're on this quest."

"I am? I mean sure, no problem."

"Good. We would give you something, but we believe that you're guardian spirit would be much wrought with us if we tried to do that. Therefore we will just give you our blessing."

She puts her finger on his forehead and makes a sign, making Xander feel a spark.

"Huh, uhm, thanks. I'll do my best to protect them."

"We know," and then with another crack she's gone.

\---

Over the next year the news was full of reports about what appeared to be a serial killer that went after pedophiles and child molesters.

Xander was smart enough to convince the two vampires to change cities every couple of weeks, to make it harder for the police to find out who they were. Sure it meant that he spent time away from his pack, but it was well worth it. And it wasn't like he didn't have part of his pack with him, two of the weres stayed with them. The only one he didn't get to see often was Asher since the vampire couldn't travel to the different cities without first asking for permission. Luckily the two vampires agreed to take breaks from time to time, mostly so their bodies had a chance to recover between the growth spurts. This meant that at the most there was a two month period where Xander didn’t see his mate.

He also only needed to help the vampires two times, when their intended targets realized that the innocent looking children were in fact predators and not the prey they had imagined. But other than that the so called quest went well.

Jean Claude was sitting behind his desk, working on some papers when there was a knock on the door.

"Enter!" It takes him a couple of seconds to realize why the slim young woman looked familiar. "Valentina, is that you? And Bartolome?" The young man looked to be in his early twenties, slim but with enough muscles to not make him scrawny.

"I prefer Tina now, a new name with a new beginning."

"Ah, yes. And Bartolome? Has he also changed his name?"

"He hasn't decided yet what he wants to be called, he refuses to be called Bart, but won't settle on a new name."

"He can talk for himself," Bartolome mutters.

"Of course you can honey," Tina inches closer and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"As much as I'm happy to see you, I feel that you have something you want to discuss with me."

"Yes, we've decided to open up a house for children like us. Somehow we've manages to acquire a couple of tagalongs along the way and it feels right for us to try and help them."

"Somehow I sense Xander's influence in this."

"True, but we wouldn't have agreed if we didn't want to."

Jean Claude hums and looks at them, noticing how they stand and how they now look.

"Pray tell, with these new bodies of yours how much have you changed?"

"Not that much," Bartolome answers. "We still have the same problems as before. Well less anger, hunting down those sick bastards was good anger management. But it will be a while before we'll be interested in being intimate with anyone, if ever."

"Yes, I can understand that. Just let me know if I or anybody else can be of help. Now tell me," he leans forward slightly. "If you two managed to get some tagalongs, how many did Xander get?"

"Just two," Tina says with a smirk.

\---

Xander's plan is to slam open the door and then yell out honey I'm home. This plan is crushed when the car arrives at the driveway and his pack comes tumbling out the house. Jason, who's driving the car, smirks at his put out look before stopping the car and goes out to greet the others. Xander is more or less mobbed when he leaves the car as all the weres tries to get some contact with him. Jason just shakes his head and herds everyone inside.

Asher is waiting inside, letting the pack greet their alpha without interruptions. And when he sees Xander he swoops down the stairs and before Xander can react he's thrown over the vampires shoulder. Before he can leave again with his notice two growls are heard. Asher stops and looks over towards the weres, noticing two he doesn't know. He can immediately see that they're closely related, probably siblings. The male is at most a teenager, but probably still a preteen. The female is slightly younger. They have light brown, almost yellow eyes and their hair is reddish brown.

"Eh, right," Xander says sheepishly. "They followed me home, can we keep them?"

The vampire raises an eyebrow when the two weres flashes teeth’s that aren't human. With a sigh he puts Xander down so he can explain. Xander gives him a quick kiss before going back to the weres.

"So, this is Marion and Robin. Well, that's what I've decided to call them anyway since we don't know what their name was before."

"Let me guess, foxes?"

"Heh, yeah. And aren't they just adorable?" Xander ruffles the closest hair, blithering ignoring the growl. "We found them just before they were going to be sold, so at least they didn't suffer through any bad touching. The bitch that had them just forced them into some sort of halfway stage and then held them like that."

"That's horrible," Nathaniel says as he absently pets the girl.

"Yeah, luckily they seem to turn more and more human, or whatever you should call it. I mean they've so far lost the ears and their eyes are turning more brownish," he turns to the two children. "Right! I'm going to disappear with my mate for a while, why don't you two try and get to know the others. Nate, over there, makes really good food and you might even convince him to bake something. You can sleep with Jason tonight and then tomorrow we'll get you some more stuff. Jason, no scary stories."

"I don't tell them scary stories!"

"And you're not going to start either," Xander says, ignoring the giggling. "One last thing, they don't speak, at least not more than a word or two. They understand but apparently talking was a big no-no, so we're working in that."

"So far our big and mighty alpha has taught them to say chocolate, tired, yes and no."

"Those are important words to know," Xander says over his shoulder as Asher drags him along.

The weres looks at each other’s and then looks at the two children, who also seems to have learnt making puppy eyes. Nathaniel caves almost immediately and goes over to the kitchen, and Jason starts to tell the others how and where they found the children.


	5. Sweet like chocolate

Asher knocks on the office door, knowing that Jean Claude is alone at the moment. He waits until he hears the other and then enters.

"Asher, what can I do for you?" Jean Claude asks, surprised that's it's Asher that sought him out. "Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing is wrong my friend." Asher saunters closer, smug in the knowledge that he knows something the other doesn't. "I just wanted to show you the present I got from Xander at Valentine's Day."

"Oh, do tell," Jean Claude leans forward, eager to hear the latest of what Xander has done.

Instead of answering Asher opens up the small box and holds it out.

"Why don't you try one?"

Jean Claude gives him a sceptic look, but takes one of the few candies left. He gives it a sniff and then pops it in his mouth. Biting down on it makes his taste buds explode in a shocking sensation of blood, magic and chocolate. The vampires eyes flutters and he moans, gripping the desk so hard it gives a warning creak. He looks at Asher under heavy lids. Asher smirks in reply and eats a candy himself, leaving only one. He can't suppress the hum of pleasure but other than that he doesn't react visible.

"That was," for once Jean Claude is a loss for words.

"Oui, I know. The first time I tasted one I thoroughly ravished Xander." He flashes a smile. "And truth be told, I've ravished him every time I've eaten one and he's close by."

"Can he get more?" Jean Claude ignores the others comment and focuses on what's important.

"Probably. He had his witches help with these, so I assume he can ask them again." Asher tilts his head in a gesture like Xander would do when curious. "Why?"

"Think of all the money he could make."

"You do know that money isn't that important for him? He only tried to do this as a Valentine's Day present. Apparently he tried it first with his own blood, but that didn't work."

"Really? Why?" The master vampire is momentarily distracted.

"I just know it involved explosions."

They look at each other before smiling, somehow that doesn't surprise either of them.

"I'm going to summon Xander so we can ask him about making more of these candies."

Asher nods and Jean Claude gets one of the workers to go search for Xander. Hopefully he's either behind the bar or doing one of his rounds, and hasn't wandered of somewhere looking for trouble.

When Xander arrives, he goes two steps into the room before noticing the small box on the table. He immediately backs up until he's standing against the door.

"Look no offence, but if this is about that threesome I have to decline. Anita would literally kill me if I had sex with you. Well, unless she wasn't invited, and I have no desire to have sex with her. I mean for one thing she could have an orgy by herself with all the animals, so just no."

In a blink of an eye, Asher was in front of him and gently took his hand, giving him a light kiss on the wrist. If his lips lingered there for a moment to long before he straightened again no one complained. Especially not Xander, who was blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry to tell you that we're not asking about a ménage au troie at this moment," Jean Claude tells him with a slight smile. "We're more interested in these candies of yours. Especially if it's possible to make more of them."

"I guess? Why?"

"I believe that they can become an income for you," when he sees Xander's disbelieving look he continues. "There are many vampires who would pay dearly to taste something like this."

"Really?"

"Most of us miss the taste of food, wine, chocolate. The only way we usually can experience them are if we bond with a mortal and experience it though them. So, yes, there are many who would be interested in buying these and anything else you can make."

"Well, it's not really I who did them. Sure, I helped but Laura was the one who did most of the work. Mostly since I made it explode when I tried to help."

"And, what exactly was it you did?"

"Uhm," Xander hesitates, wondering how to explain. "So, here's the thing. I see things different than most. And that means that I could see when the mixture was correct." He can see that the other two doesn't understand. "OK, so we, or rather Laura, takes the blood and mixes it with some alcohol and chocolate. And then she pours hers magic in it so it will keep and not go bad. And I see when she's put enough magic in. Too little and it goes bad, too much it explodes."

"You can see magic," Jean Claude states.

"If I concentrate."

Jean Claude briefly thinks of way that he could use that, before reminding himself that while Xander worked for him he wasn't one of his subjects. And while Xander was willing to go along with most things, he only felt any obligations to his pack and Asher. But this candy making could make Xander rich and the master vampire more powerful if he handled it the right way.

"Xander," he leans forward slightly, towards the younger man. "This is what I want you to do."

After Xander hesitantly agrees, Asher quickly pulls the human to an empty room.

"I can’t believe you managed to pull that off," Asher tells him. "You got him to agree to every condition you had, you’re more devious than you seem. Do you have any idea how sexy I find you right now? "

"Is this when you seduce me and then take advantage of me?" Xander asks with a laugh as Asher presses him against the wall.

"Do you want me to seduce you? Or do you rather that I have my wicked way with you?"

"Oh, feel free to have your way with me," Xander manages to get out before his feet’s leaves the ground as Asher has him wrapping them around the vampire’s waist. "I think we're wearing too much clothes for this to work," he says when the kiss ends.

"I do believe you're correct."

Xander thought he never would figure out how Asher could undress them so quickly, no matter how many times it happened it always came as a surprise to find himself suddenly naked. Once again he's lifted and now he can feel the others member sliding against his back. For a moment he's worried that Asher will forego preparations, but a slick finger is quickly slipping inside of him. As the finger becomes two Asher uses his other hand to hitch one of Xander's legs over his shoulder, opening the younger man up even more. Xander makes a begging noise when the fingers become three and the vampire scissors them. Xander is at the moment only capable of clinging to Asher so he won't fall down. Not that he believes that Asher will let him fall, but he can't stop but the instinctively grip he has. Sure it would be easy to put one leg down, well perhaps not since that would make him do a split. He whines when Asher removes his fingers and positions the warm body he's holding. With a forceful motion, Asher shoves his way inside making Xander arch his back. The vampire takes two steps forward, so that the other can get some stability from the wall, before pulling back and then slam in again.

"Faster," Xander begs as one of his hands scrambles against the wall in search of something to hold on to.

"As you wish," Asher is more than happy to comply.

He sets an almost brutal pace, and it's only because of his vampire strength that it works. He's the one holding Xander up, angling his body until he hits the spot inside. The small noises Xander makes is driving him insane. Asher can't understand it, he's trained to be able to go on for hours, but with Xander he can't hold out at all. Not that Xander is any better, when Asher bends the younger man's body so he's able to get even deeper inside, Xander comes with a yell. The smell brings Asher even closer to the edge and he manages to slam inside a few more times before he also comes. Xander manages to give the vampire a sloppy kiss before they fall to the floor.

"Someday I'll make love to you the whole night long," Asher vows.

"I think I would pass out if we did this more than two times in one night. I don't think I can feel my legs at the moment."

"If we go home we can test that theory."

Xander gives him a happy smile and pokes him on the nose.

"I need to get back to work, well at least as soon as I can feel my legs again I need to get back to work. But this weekend we can kick the pack out and then have sex until one of us passes out. Or more likely until I pass out." His smile becomes more predatorily. "We can even try out some of your toys."

"Deal," Asher agrees before standing up.

He gives Xander another minute before pulling the younger man up and helping him into his clothes. If they're not going to have more sex then everyone else can be driven insane by the smell. Perhaps somewhat petty, but then again he doesn't like the way some of the workers and guests looks at Xander. He's more than willing to flaunt the fact that Xander belong to him. Xander just rolls his eye at him, but doesn't complain. The vampire isn't the only one who's possessive.


	6. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

It didn't come as a surprise when Xander passed away. The last year or so he had been mostly bedridden, or sitting in an armchair with a blanket. That didn't mean that it didn't gut Asher, and the only reason he didn't follow immediately after was because the hyena sort of merged with him, taking away some of the cold.

Asher still loved Xander with all his heart, even though the other had grown old and frail, but still keeping his hair and humor intact. They still shared the bed, but only for snuggling. No one expected Asher to live on after Xander, except apparently Xander himself who with his last breath summoned the hyena and weakly shoved it at the vampire. So instead of the freezing cold and empty space where Xander had been, there still was some warmth.

Xander wasn't buried, instead his ashes was spread around the edge of his territory, a barrier against evil. Afterwards Asher breaks down and cries, feeling his heart break once again. Jean Claude tries, but they both know it's just a matter of time before he just quits. Xander was and always will be his sun and nothing survives without the sun, not even a vampire.

Even so, it takes almost six months before Asher goes to rest one morning and then just doesn't wake up again, his soul leaving and not returning.

\---

Asher isn't certain what he expected of the afterlife, but this wasn't it. Somehow he figured that he would go to some kind of hell or purgatory. Not waking up in this blank landscape, dressed in some kind of nondescript clothes. That the hyena suddenly appears doesn't surprise him at all, and he follows the spirit through the foggy and vague landscape. His breath catches when he sees someone sitting in a familiar way, and he speeds up.

Xander looks like the first time he saw him and gives him the familiar smile.

"Xander," Asher whispers and grabs the closest hand, just to make sure he's really there.

"Hey Asher. Can you believe that The Powers That Be tried to make me leave and go somewhere new? They wanted me to continue being the so called white knight."

"You're leaving?" Asher's grip tightens in fear. He just found the other again.

"What? No of course not. I told them to shove it, I wasn't leaving without my mate." He smirks. "I told you that you wouldn't get rid of me that easy. So now they're trying to figure out what to do."

The warmth that was missing since Xander died slowly disappears, and Asher smiles for the first time in six months.

"That sounds like something you would do," he glances at the hyena prowling around them. "And her?"

"Apparently she's as stubborn as me, which would make sense since she bonded with me."

"Where are we?" Not that it was important, now that he'd found Xander again.

"Ah, some kind of waiting area or something. Sometime I sort of can see other people, but you're the first one that seems to exist here with me."

"Really?" Asher slowly pulls the other closer. "So it’s just you and me here? I wonder what we can do to entertain ourselves."

"Oh, I'm sure we can figure out something. I'm sure that The Powers That Be will let us know when they've decided on something."

Asher presses even closer and gives Xander a soft kiss, which quickly deepens.

"I'm sure they will, and if we're busy they can come back later."

Xander just hums at the familiar feeling of the others hands on his body. It's been too long since they've been together this way. And he's pretty certain that it will make an unbreakable bond between them, a bond that will last forever and make sure that they'll always find each other. And on the plus side it will definitely anger The Powers That Be and mess up their plans. Bur for now he will just enjoy himself.

\---

 

They can't say how long they've been there when a change happens. A pulling sensation makes them realize that a decision has been made. They quickly kiss one last time.

"I'll find you," Asher vows.

"Of course you will," Xander gives him a mischievous look. "And if anybody from our pack exists I'll find them to. Once an alpha always an alpha. So don't be too surprised if there's more than one familiar face there."

\---

 

And so, life begins anew.


End file.
